Safety-bridge for cars



Patented Au 9 H. H. BURKHART. g '898 SAFETY BRIDGE FOR CARS.

(Applicatiun filed May 25, 1897.) (No Model.;

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SAFETYMBRIDGE FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,751, dated August 9, 1898.

Application led May 25, 1897, Serial No. 638,049. (No model.) l

T0 all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, IIOLLIDAY H. BURK- HAnT, of Tuscurnbia, lin the county of Colbert and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety- Bridges for Cars; Vand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,`and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in safety devices; and the object of the same'is to provide an attachment for freight-cars, the same closing the space between adjacent cars to prevent the passage of a person to the wheels of the car should he fall or be thrown from the roof of the car. y

The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-' Figure l is a perspective view of the end of a car, showing my improvement applied thereto. 2 is a top plan view.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l indicates frames or casings which are secured on opposite sides of the car adjacent its ends, and 2 are rods which pass through the end walls of said casings and have their inner ends screw-'threaded to receive the nuts 3. By this construction the rods may be adj usted according to the distance between the adjacent cars when coupled. VSaid rods are reduced, forming the shoulders 4, and coiled about the reduced portions are the springs 5, which bear at one end against said shoulders and'at their opposite ends against the inner surfaces of the end walls of the casings.

6 are buffers which are oval upon their ou ter faces, as illustrated, and formed on their inner faces with the lugs 7, which lugs are located adjacent the outer edges of said buffers and by means of which the rods are attached by pins or bolts S, which pass therethrough.

10 is a netting of any suitable material provided at its ends with the rings 11, which are adapted to be positioned upon the rods 2. Rings l2 are carried by the inner edge of said netting to engage hooks 13 upon the end of i the car. The rings adjacent the buifers 6 are secured to the rods 2, while .the `others are movable thereon. The opposite ends of the netting lO have flexible binding-cords orsmall cables attached thereto, while the sides have i rigid rods secured to the parts of said netting.

iVhen the rods are compressed, the netting will by this construction automatically fold or be contracted, and after the rods are released through securement of the outer rings to the rods the said netting will be forced to assume its normal position.

By reason of the springs the bars are made elastic, so as to be compressed when the cars are brought together and to return to their normal positions when the cars are separated as far as permitted by the couplers.

By constructing the buffers oval the friction caused by their coming in contact with the buffers on the opposite car is reduced to a minimum.

Frein the above description it will be seen that I have produced a safety device which is carried by the cars and is so positioned as not to interfere with the passage of the brakeman between the cars to couple the same and which serves to prevent the` passage of any one between the cars from the top thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. The combination with the upper part of the end of a car, of compressible spring-actu- Zontally, and a netting having rings at the ends thereof mounted upon the said rods, the outermost ring at each end being secured to the rods, the remaining rings being freely movable upon the said rods, substantially as described.

2. The combination of casings secured to the car on its opposite sides and adjacent its ends, rods movable within said casings and having their inner ends reduced and screwthreaded, said screw-threaded ends projecting through the Aend walls of the casings, adjusting-nuts upon the screw-threaded ends, springs coiled about reduced portionsof said rods and bearing against the shoulders formed thereon, buffers carried by the outer ends of said rods,vand a netting orfender attached atits ends to the rods on the respective sides of the car, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

